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A Unique Partnership, The Springfield-Wittenberg Teacher Institute

With a unique commitment to education, Springfield boasts some of the most dedicated teachers in the nation. Awarded Ohio Professor of the Year, Robert Welker is one such individual. Putting his passion for teaching to work, Professor Welker founded the Springfield-Wittenberg Teacher Institute in 2001.

With a focus on improving the achievements of Springfield youth, the Springfield-Wittenberg Teacher Institute has addressed innovative solutions to student and teacher performance. Through the use of local research, the Institute believes that area teachers will be more inclined to take notice of research findings and apply that knowledge to their classrooms. The Institute will also strive to improve both students’ social and academic performance by changing the way professional development of local teachers occurs.

In order to accomplish its mission, the Springfield-Wittenberg Teacher Institute will operate a partnership between Wittenberg University and the local Clark County schools. This partnership uses teacher’s concrete experiences to solve classroom problems. Working specifically with practicing teachers makes the Institute rather unique and allows insights into specific issues related to our community and it’s educational standards.

Over the next three years, the Institute will sponsor a series of seminars, courses, and conferences that will focus directly on critical problems of area schools, which have been identified by local teachers and administrators. The Institute also plans to conduct research in Clark County classrooms in order to document educational methods that are making an impact on the lives of local students.

These innovative approaches, that utilize the experience of teachers to both understand and solve the dilemmas of our modern day educational system, have bolstered confidence in a struggling system. Sure to change the face of education, the Springfield-Wittenberg Teacher Institute is giving the professional development of teachers and the education of Springfield’s youth a bold new outlook.